AFL injury and selection news: All the latest updates ahead of round 10

The Blues face a massive challenge in ladder leaders Sydney on Friday night, and will now have to do so without another key player.

Carlton forward Jack Martin’s frustrating recent run with soft tissue injuries has continued after he suffered a calf strain at training, ruling him out of Friday night’s SCG clash with Sydney.

It means the injury-hit Blue will have to wait to play his 150th AFL, which he had been scheduled to play against the Swans.

Martin had only just returned for his first game of the AFL season in last week’s win over Melbourne after being sidelined for the first two months of the season with knee and hamstring issues.

He endured some calf tightness at training on Tuesday, but scans revealed on Wednesday that he had suffered a strain.

The Blues are expected to take a conservative approach to his return, given his past history of soft tissue injuries.

Martin played his first game of the season only last week. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

The 29-year-old had six disposals and kicked a goal in the one-point win over the Demons, saying after the game that he was desperate to get some more continuity into his footy in the back half of the season.

He has only played 52 games in four and a half seasons with the Blues, with the forward coming out of contract at the end of this season.

Martin joined the Blues on a front-ended five-year deal, which expires later this season, with speculation that a few rival AFL clubs are interested in him beyond 2024.

It’s the latest tissue issue to hit the Blues ahead of their crucial clash with the Swans, with midfielder Adam Cerra sidelined for three weeks with yet another hamstring strain, while Matt Cottrell has a concerning navicular stress reaction to his left foot.

Cerra was subbed out of last week’s game, while Cottrell could be out of action for an extended period of time with the club expected to make a further assessment on him after the round 14 bye.

Ruckman Marc Pittonet had finger surgery this week, but could yet prove his fitness to take on the Swans.

Adam Saad and Jesse Motlop are getting closer to a return following their hamstring issues.

SAINTS SKIPPER REVEALED TO BE BATTLING KNEE INJURY

- Jay Clark

St Kilda captain Jack Steele has courageously played through a knee injury in the early part of the season in a gutsy bid to lift his team.

Steele, 28, battled through pain and restriction in his knee and required regular treatment from the Saints’ medicos to play games over the past month.

The hard-nut midfielder is hopeful he has overcome the worst of the inflammation issue and was one of the Saints’ top-two players in the loss to Hawthorn on Saturday.

Steele, who has not missed a game this season despite the knee flare-up, gathered 30 touches, five clearances and 13 tackles in Launceston.

Steele has been battling through injury to play in recent weeks. Picture: Getty Images

He has drawn level in the AFL Coaches votes with ruckman Rowan Marshall on 19 votes amid the knee issue to lead the Saints ahead of Jack Sinclair and Brad Hill.

But the Saints face a big week on the track in a bid to notch only their second win in six weeks after a concession from the coach Ross Lyon the club was playing “mundane” football after the loss to the Hawks.

The skipper, who is a two-time All-Australian and best and fairest winner, will attempt to lift his side against Fremantle on Saturday night as Liam Henry attempts to play his former side for the first time.

Henry was quiet in the loss to the Hawks with only four touches in his comeback from a hamstring injury.

The club will likely consider whether he needs a run in the VFL to build his match fitness or continue in the AFL side against the Dockers and whether to recall second-year ballwinner Mattaes Phillipou.

Sam Draper will miss an extended period of football. Picture: Getty Images

STAR DON SET FOR SIDELINES AFTER SURGERY

- Jay Clark

Essendon ruckman Sam Draper has undergone surgery his knee which will sideline him for next the four matches.

The Bombers confirmed the ruckman had surgery on his knee on Tuesday and would aim to be back after the bye for the Round 15 clash against West Coast.

It is believed surgeons removed some meniscus as part of an arthroscope procedure.

Todd Goldstein will lead the ruck in his absence.

MORE TO COME

SICILY’S CHANCES OF RETURN REVEALED AS HAWKS PONDER CJ MOVE

– Jon Ralph

Hawthorn captain James Sicily is only a slim chance of taking on in-form Port Adelaide as the Hawks replace suspended defender Jack Scrimshaw after his dumping tackle on St Kilda’s Liam Stocker.

Sicily is strengthening his shoulder after dislocated it in the win over the Western Bulldogs and he would have to get through main training on Thursday to play the Power.

Scrimshaw has been a revelation as a key position defender but accepted a one-week ban for his dump tackle on Stocker. The Hawks strongly considered challenging that ban, but were told by their legal experts they had little chance to overturn the suspension.

So the Hawks will have to reconfigure their backline, with Sicily not yet ruled out but less likely to play against the Power.

James Sicily may miss another week with a shoulder injury. Picture: Getty Images

They will have a decision to make on whether to play Changkuoth Jiath after his successful return to the VFL after a litany of soft-tissue concerns this year.

He breezed through three quarters for Box Hill, winning 22 possessions and taking nine marks, but the Hawks’ VFL affiliate has a bye this weekend.

Ideally, Jiath might have played full minutes this week in the VFL before an AFL return.

He would be a perfect candidate as the sub this weekend, but the Hawks will have to assess their side later in the week.

Changkuoth Jiath is a chance of featuring this week for the Hawks. Picture: Getty Images

Ethan Phillips and Denver Grainger-Barras both played VFL so are defensive options if Sicily doesn’t come up.

Mabior Chol is likely to be available against the Power after a week’s suspension and then a wrist injury that ruled him out of the Hawks’ pair of victories over the Dogs and St Kilda.

Spearhead Mitch Lewis is likely another week away as he battles with a knee issue, which he and the Hawks will likely need to manage throughout the season.

Hawthorn has rarely had a full cohort of forwards given a spate of injuries, with veteran small forward Luke Breust only returning from a five-week absence with a groin injury last week.

Originally published as AFL injury and selection news: All the latest updates ahead of round 10